Not surprisingly, Smulders got her start modeling as a teen in New York City. "It was a strange career choice," she admits. "I was so self-conscious at the time." Although modeling allowed her to travel the world, she still has her grievances with the industry: "Models need to be unionized. I would look back at old pay stubs and see that I made $115 for a 16 hour work day." (Read our story on The Model Alliance, which is trying to achieve just what Smulders is hoping for, here.) When asked if she’d let her daughter (about to turn three) model when she grows up, Smulders was quick to respond, "absolutely not."

Acting, however, might be a more acceptable career. Smulders says she had no idea that acting could actually be a realistic line of work, but now with a megahit sitcomand a star-studded blockbuster, she’s changing her tune. In May, she’ll star opposite Samuel L. Jackson (and a hoard of other celebrities) in Josh Whedon’s adaptation of the The Avengerscomics series. In it, Smulders plays Maria Hill, "the biggest bitch in the universe," she says.

Her role in The Avengersis definitely a departure from How I Met Your Mother, but Smulders is used to challenges. Nowadays, she juggles her megahit sitcom with other projects as well as a toddler, a September wedding and a new apartment. In The Avengers, Smulders may play a mortal, but in real life, she’s kind of a superhero.